Those who only expect to be protected by the mentor still have quite a ways to go before they can call themselves real disciples. It is by striving in the same manner as the mentor to protect our fellow human beings that we qualify as true disciples, true lions.​

The Buddha seeks genuine disciples, not disciples who merely pray passively for his merciful protection, as if he were some transcendent being. The Buddha longs for disciples who will actively struggle alongside him.​

Those who only expect to be protected by the mentor still have quite a ways to go before they can call themselves real disciples. It is by striving in the same manner as the mentor to protect our fellow human beings that we qualify as true disciples, true lions.​

You could say that the Lotus Sutra itself constitutes an appeal by the mentor, with the Buddha voicing his hopes and expectations that genuine disciples will appear. Without the presence of genuine disciples as the Lotus Sutra states, it will not be possible to lead the people of the Latter Day to enlightenment.

“Share your thoughts and celebrate the life of our beloved mentor by contributing a eulogy on the site https://daisakuikedalegacy.org/wordpress/eulogy
Your words will forever cherish his memory.”​​